MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police said Monday that it is working on corroborating alleged reports of kidnappings that happened in Pasay City.
Police Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said that of the nine alleged incidents of kidnapping, only one has been validated by CCTV footage.
“May mga report na mga missing person, pero walang validated na kidnapping, baka po mga naglayas o kaya ay nagtanan, maliban lang sa isang kaso kung saan nakuhanan ng CCTV ang ginawang pagdukot,” Banac told reporters.
(There were reports of missing persons, but no kidnapping, the children might have run away from home or just eloped, except in one case where CCTV caught the abduction.)
Stories of teenagers going missing in the Pasay Rotonda area have been circulating on social media for the past week. Netizens' accounts say that unknown men in a white van have been abducting young people, with one video clip of a supposed kidnapping going viral. Some posts say nine youths have already been abducted.
Col. Bernard Yang, Pasay police chief, said he had already ordered his men to prioritize the supposed incidents after he was instructed by Pasay Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano to investigate them.
For his part, Banac also encouraged any possible witnesses to file reports at their nearest police stations.
“Kung mayroon mang ganitong insidente ay mangyayari na dumulog agad sa pinakamalapit na himpilan ng pulisya upang maimbestigahan at para magkaroon ng basis ang information,” he emphasized.
(If there are in fact any incidents like this, we urge the public go to the nearest police station to file report so we can investigate and so our information can have a sound basis.)
Banac said National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, Police Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas had already issued a directive to conduct a probe into the lone incident that has already been verified.
“These are now being subjected to validation by the NCRPO, including the rumors that there are nine children missing in Pasay City,” said Banac.